3 26 
Psyche 
[December 
that overpower their prey with force and poison. Both sicariids and 
loxoscelids lack the adaptations of scytodids for their unusual method 
of prey capture: the high-domed carapace containing the glands used 
for spitting, and the short, stout fangs with the aperture of the gland 
duct at their midpoint. (The Loxoscelidae are also at times placed 
in the Sicariidae, but probably with more reason than the Scytodidae.) 
The sicariids courtship act of digging the female out of the sand 
is probably unique among spiders^ but the mating position is similar 
to that of scytodids, a group in which there is some variation (see 
above). As in other haplogyne spiders (but unlike orthognath “tar- 
antulas”), both pedipalps are inserted into the gonopore at the same 
time. 
Another habit shared with other haplogyne spiders, but not with 
orthognath “tarantulas”, is that both pedipalps are inserted simulta- 
neously into the sperm drop during sperm induction. An exception 
is the haplogyne dysderid, Harpactes rubicundus , which uses the 
method exhibited by most spiders, continuously alternating the pedi- 
